Draft

____

Xu Mei became pregnant a month earlier than Su Jingyang, but gave birth to a son three days after he did.

The two shared the good news, but because the children were born too close, they regretted that they couldn't participate in the full moon wine of each other's child.

Su Jingyang mentioned this incident when Rong Hua and Ling Li were visiting him, Rong Hua said that he already had an agreement with Xu Mei to go there and that he would soon leave for Full Moon Villa.

When Su Jingyang heard that he was going to go, he asked him to bring his gift over for convenience. He was a little worried about the chance of Rong Hua meeting Hao Jiasheng again and coming back later full of irritability like last time.

Rong Hua seemed to have thought about it too. He seemed annoyed but didn't say anything. When it was time to leave, he went anyway.

Su Jingyang could only pray silently that Rong Hua wouldn't meet Hao Jiasheng again this time. To be honest, after Hao Jiasheng fell into the river, Su Jingyang had gotten the feeling that he was strange.

On the morning of Su Dafan and Su Xiaofan's full moon wine, Su Jingyang took advantage of the two children's entourage to take a hot bath.

In fact, he really wanted to take a good bath to get rid of his exhaustion, but the thought had just flashed by his mind when he gave up, finally making a quick decision.

He has now learned to do everything quickly: eat quickly, bathe quickly, and even go to the bathroom quickly. If he only left for a while, neither of the two ancestors would become uneasy. Su Jingyang was truly afraid of them crying.

After he got dressed, he wiped his hair and returned to the bedroom, he found that Rong Ci was holding Su Dafan and burping it, the child was lying on his shoulder without crying.

"!!!" Su Jingyang was shocked, naively thinking that he finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel! As a result... before he had time to let out tears of joy and surprise, Su Dafan seemed to have sensed that he was coming. His little head full of thick hair slowly turned towards him.

When Su Jingyang spotted his small mouth beginning to press together, he rushed over in a few strides to take him. Su Jingyang hurriedly hugged him before he could drop the golden beans.

Su Dafan was already in Su Jingyang's arms, but he still very sadly squeezed out tears from his eyes. Crystal teardrops slipped down the milky cheeks he used to press against Su Jingyang's chest. He seemed to have been greatly wronged by Rong Ci.

Su Jingyang thought that the child was very funny, he even knew how to bring out the greatest impact with acting. Rong Ci snorted after seeing this.

Xiaofan had finished eating, his mouth was still stained with milk, he was staring intently at Su Jingyang. Rong Ci was about to take him over to burp, but he had just set him upright when Su Xiaofan opened his mouth to wail, spitting out all the milk that he had just eaten onto Rong Ci's clothes.

"..." The despised "old man" calmly closed his eyes, he handed the child over to Su Jingyang and got up to change his clothes.

Xiaofan's clothes were also a little dirty. Su Jingyang put him on the bed and prepared to change his clothes. Ling Li arrived just then and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Xiaofan with a soft smile on his brows. He wanted to hold them in his arms and kiss them, but he didn't dare to take the chance of them crying. He could only secretly touch Su Dafan and Su Xiaofan's small soft hands momentarily before quickly letting go.

Ling Li looked at Su Jingyang inquiringly and asked, "Jingyang, do you really plan to name them Su Dafan and Su Xiaofan?"

"No, no, it's just their nickname for now." Su Jingyang couldn't help laughing, he turned his head and said to him: "The older one's called Rong Yu¹, and the young one's called Rong Xi². Rong Ci thought it up, and I think it sounds fine. What do you think, Ah-Li?"

Ling Li specifically about which characters, after Su Jingyang told him, light ripples seemed to appear in Ling Li's eyes. The corners of his mouth were still for a moment before he whispered: "Very good."

Yang, Yu, and Xi. All of them meant light.

But Su Jingyang didn't seem to care too much about the meaning of it, Ling Li thought to himself. For him, the only difference was probably how it was written.³

Su Jingyang changed the child's clothes, he sat down, squeezing to Ling Li's side. He blinked and said to him: "I told Rong Ci last night that we should just name the child Rong Yi (), not Rong Yi, and then nickname him Rong Ci. Whenever he goes out in the future, he can just introduce himself to others, 'Hello everyone, I am-- a righteous hero named Rong Ci not to be confused with another Rong Ci who happens to be my father!' And then, he kicked me out of the bed."⁴

Ling Li chuckled and Su Jingyang couldn't help but laugh, "Ah-Li, don't you think he has no taste?"

Ling Li smiled with a red face, there was a fascinating twinkle in his eyes, he finally said to him: "Fortunately, Rong Ci didn't listen to you."

Su Jingyang's grin was retracted, and he snorted depressedly.

Rong Ci soon changed his clothes and returned, he nodded to Ling Li in greeting. Su Jingyang was about to pick up the child, but Ling Li touched the child's clothes and hesitatingly said, "Jingyang, don't you think you've dressed the children a bit too much?"

Su Jingyang explained: "It seems like the wind is blowing fiercely outside, I'm afraid they'll be frozen."

Su Jingyang had just come back from a bath, he felt like the temperature was a little bit low and changed himself into thicker clothes. Ling Li stopped talking for a moment, but still said: "Jingyang, children aren't as afraid of the cold as you think."

Su Jingyang hesitated for a while when he heard him say this, but finally decided to not change the child's clothes, he said to Ling Li, "I'll just bring a few more changes of clothes. I'll see the situation later."

The full moon banquet was to be celebrated in front of the Chunhe Jingming Hall. The inside and outside of the hall were a feast, cheerful and lively. The elders, wizards, and dream masters of Rongcheng were all present at the scene. Needless to say, some of the city's nobles also came to congratulate them, and even some of Rongcheng's citizens gifted and blessed the two young sons who brought blessings for Rongcheng, praying for them or sending fresh flower baskets.

It wasn't easy for Su Jingyang to hug the two children at once. In the end, he took the two children out for a break and went to the side hall. Rong Ci wanted to go out to serve the guests, Ling Li stayed with Su Jingyang.

This was the first time Su Dafan and Su Xiaofan had come out to get some fresh air. They were probably also very excited, lying in the small rocker without sleeping and their eyes wide open.

Su Jingyang murmured happily in front of the rocker: "Don't sleep, don't sleep! That way you'll sleep all night."

Ling Li looked at the shadows under his eyes and felt very sorry for him.

Su Jingyang looked at the faces of the two children and suddenly became a little trance. After a month, Su Dafan and Su Xiaofan's facial features have opened up a bit more, their little water-blue clothes made their skin look more white and their cheeks more pink, like a cute snow sculpture. But it was this that gave him a familiar but also unfamiliar feeling, and even... a little doubt, "Ah-Li, are they really the children I gave birth to?"

Seeing that he was starting to become stupid again, Ling Li laughed and said:" Of course, see here, the eyes are as good-looking as yours."

Dafan and Xiaofan's eyes were like Su Jingyang's; round pupils, big and black, as clear as a pristine mountain spring, extremely moist and beautiful.

Su Jingyang didn't talk anymore, he suddenly fell into a long contemplation.

Children could grow so much in just a month, after he leaves, he'll be destined to miss out on a lot... just thinking about it made his chest a little sour.

That day, Su Jingyang had dinner with Ling Li in the side hall. After eating, he talked and laughed with Ling Li. Suddenly he heard Rong Xia's cries from outside, screaming to be let in, but getting stopped by the guard.

Ling Li glanced at Su Jingyang silently, but Su Jingyang's expression remained unchanged. He said, "Ah-Li, don't care about it."

Rong Ci told him everything about Mrs Ru. It was unknown who she heard it from but since many years ago, she believed that Wu Qun Mountain's energy would greatly increase after this fluctuation. Even if Rong Xia didn't have Rong's blood, he could still successfully become the City Lord.

She had promised the Old City Lord by virtue of his capacity that Rong Ci wouldn't do anything to hurt her and acted unscrupulously. So at the first sight of an opportunity that day, she couldn't wait to make arrangements to deceive Su Jingyang into climbing Wu Qun Mountain. She delusionally wanted to get rid of the children in Su Jingyang's stomach and Rong Ci once, so that even if the only remaining patriarch's line was incompetent, her son could still sit stably on the throne.

She played her abacus very well, and her plans were very well thought out. In the end, Rong Ci, who was furious, directly imprisoned her in the dungeon, never to be released again for the rest of her life.

For that woman, it was worse than killing her directly. Without the comfort of the past, with the company of only endless cold and darkness. If she didn't have the courage to commit suicide, then this torture would hound her for the rest of her life.

Before Su Jingyang was busy taking care of the child every day, Su Jingyang was never reached by Rong Xia who had tried to break in to find him several times. The people outside never let him in, and none of his pleadings would reach him.

Su Jingyang was schemed by them mother and son. If Rong Ci didn't come down the mountain that time, he and the children would've probably been killed by that woman. Su Jingyang couldn't afford to be sympathetic, so he didn't care.

Today, Rong Xia probably found this opportunity to show up in front of him with great difficulty, he then ran over here, trying to find him to intercede.

Unfortunately, it was useless, because Su Jingyang didn't plan to see him at all.

There were enough things bothering him, but Su Jingyang was still in control of this one.

Rong Xia's broken cry came through, "I'm not leaving! I'm not leaving, you can't stop me! Why are you doing this to me! Why are you doing this to my mother! What the hell's going on! What's wrong with you! I don't know anything! I beg you, please tell me!"

Su Jingyang was surprised, then he became thoughtful. Maybe Rong Xiao still didn't know what had happened until now, maybe he rushed to inform him at that time, but didn't know that woman's intention. He might've been just very worried for his brother. From the child's point of view, he was really pitiful.

But this was something that Rong Ci had already decided, and Su Jingyang didn't want to intervene anymore. After a little entanglement, he finally decided to ignore it.

Before long, Rong Xia's cries became too distant to hear.

Su Jingyang was feeling sleepy. He propped his cheeks on his hands and wanted to take the opportunity for a little shut-eye. When he was getting sleepy, he heard Ling Li let out a surprised cry, "Jingyang, look at the child!"

The children's rockers were placed next to the table. Su Jingyang hurriedly opened his eyes and turned his head to look. The two children who were sleeping quietly were both restlessly kicking their hands and feet, and there were many small bumps on their flushed faces!

Su Jingyang was an inexperienced person. When he saw the situation, he immediately took a breath, thinking that it was something serious.

Both children whined uncomfortably. Su Jingyang hurriedly picked one up, he opened the child's clothes and spotted similar lumps on its body. He was so scared that he stood up to order someone to call for Li Yin. Ling Li also picked up one, and while undressing the child, he said to him: "Don't worry too much, it's a heat rash, you should remove some of their layers and it should be cured."

Su Jingyang hurriedly did as he said, the child was drenched in sweat, and the temperature of their skins was really hot.

Only then did Su Jingyang let out a long sigh of relief, but soon, he became annoyed again. If he hadn't been stubborn at the time and listened to Ah-Li's words, then none of this would've happened

Regardless of the child's crying, Ling Li also hurriedly went to help. They quickly wiped off the sweat of both children and put on slightly thinner clothes. Only after the children were quickly covered again did the two look relieved.

Su Jingyang slowly straightened up, he stood still for a long time. Looking at the child's tearful eyes, an unfamiliar emotion lingered in his heart, making him uncontrollably sad.

Ling Li touched the child's small face with his hand and said sadly: "Blame me, I didn't spot it earlier, otherwise..."

"I won't blame you." Su Jingyang sighed weakly, "How could I blame you? It was me that didn't listen to you. I was lazy and didn't pay attention to the child."

Su Jingyang took the child back without waiting for his response, he ultimately called Li Yin over to have a look. Li Yin said that it didn't impact them much and gave him a can full of ointment. Su Jingyang rolled up his sleeves, bathed both children, and then put the ointment on their bodies and faces.

Rong Ci soon returned. Ling Li was chatting with Su Jingyang, when he saw him come back, he got up and left silently.

Su Jingyang sat cross-legged on the velvet blanket next to the rocker, staring at the child in a daze. It was difficult to guess what he was thinking, Rong Ci stepped forward to talk to him but was still ignored.

When he went to bed that night, Su Jingyang still said nothing, frowning.

The children slept less during the day, and it was easier to coax them at night. Su Jingyang waited until they were both asleep, he then laid down and closed his eyes without saying a word.

Rong Ci hugged him from behind, he comforted him in a low voice: "It's just a heat rash, our sons aren't that squeamish, don't feel uncomfortable anymore."

Su Jingyang stabbed him away with his elbow, he pulled the quilt over to cover his head. He slowly opened his eyes in the darkness with a slightly trembling breath.

He felt upset just knowing that heat rash wasn't a major problem. Yeah, it's just heat rash! But at that time, he was looking at the two children full of discomfort and unease, tears running down their faces. He was caught off guard, it felt like his heart was severely stung by something extremely painful! ! !

He was their parent, no matter how much he wanted to ignore them at the beginning, no matter how annoying they were during this period of time, just a little sickness and pain could greatly affect his mood... Su Jingyang both hates and fears this feeling!

"Don't be stubborn, come out and breathe." Rong Ci called to him from outside the quilt.

Su Jingyang stubbornly tightened the quilt and roared: "Don't bother me, go away."

This man was already annoying enough in his efforts to stop him from leaving, now there were two more bastards that made him feel even more worried. Su Jingyang felt more and more that this situation was turning really fucking bad!

_____

Notes:

1- Rong Yu [(Rong Ci's surname) (Yu; bright or light)]

2- Rong Xi [(Rong Ci's surname) (Xi; typically ideal or prosperous but also eans luminescence)]

3- Both of the twin's names have a character representing light in their names, while Su Jinyang's name means (roughly)

4- Rong Yi (Rong Ci's previous alias and childhood nickname) sounds the same as Rong Yi (Su Dafan's official name), the joke is that Rong Ci's alias was Rong Yi, if the child was named that alias and nicknamed himself Rong Ci then it would cause a lot of confusion.

_____

—